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Monday, July 18, 2016

Thaw on day nine; 7 civilians injured in clash in Bandipore

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

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SRINAGAR, July 17: With a near-total communication and
information blockade in entire Kashmir valley, no major clash took place
between the protesters and security forces on the 9th consecutive
day of shutdown after militant Burhan Wani’s death in an encounter in Kokernag
area of Anantnag district on July 8.

Authoritative sources told STATE TIMES that a unit of Rashtriya
Rifles proceeded to Saderkot Bala in Bandipore district for some minor recoveries,
like guillotine rods. During the operation, residents resisted with the
argument that the ballistic material being recovered was used under proper
license for quarrying at the local sites. After an altercation, there was a
clash between the residents and the troops in which seven civilians sustained
injuries.

Sources said that four civilians were injured with firearms.
All the seven injured were rushed to Srinagar and admitted at SKIMS for
treatment. Sources said that six soldiers were injured in the clash as the
residents attacked the Army cavalcade including two Casper vehicles. An
unconfirmed report said that one of the critically injured civilians succumbed
on way to hospital. A Police spokesman maintained that no fatal casualty took
place in Saderkot Bala, Bandipore.

In another incident, one protester was hit by a teargas
shell in his neck at Rainawari in Srinagar. He was rushed to hospital.

Sources said that around 20 civilian protesters and about a
dozen Police and security forces personnel sustained injuries on Sunday in
different clashes. Most of these clashes occurred at the time of withdrawal of Police
and paramilitary deployments from different places.

Restrictions were in place in downtown Srinagar and several
other areas in the Valley even as the separatists-sponsored shutdown crippled
normal life on the 9th consecutive day. Government was forced to
declare extension of summer vacation of colleges and schools till July 25.

As many as 41 persons, including one Police driver, have
died in the Valley-wide clashes in turbulent aftermath of Burhan Wani’s death.
Besides around 1700 people have sustained injuries and 25 Police establishments
have been destroyed by protesting crowds. Monday is the concluding day of the
shutdown call issued by different separatist groups. Even Tuesday can remain
disturbed as Pakistan has called for observance of ‘Black Day’ in solidarity with
the 40-odd civilians killed and her demand of Plebiscite under the UN
resolutions.

In today’s situation bulletin, a Police spokesman said: “The
overall situation throughout Kashmir valley remained calm. There was no report
of any untoward incident from any part of the valley. However, stray incidents
of stone pelting were received from Kunzer in Baramulla, Eidgah in Srinagar and
Saderkote Bala in Bandipora”. He said that “some Policemen, CRPF personnel and
civilians” received injuries in these incidents.